Australians reported $259.5 million in scam losses during the first nine months of 2025, with online shopping fraud driving a sharp spike ahead of the looming Black Friday sales period.
The National Anti-Scam Centre recorded 159,319 scam reports between January and September - a 16% jump in financial losses despite a 20% drop in overall reports compared to the same period last year.
Shopping scams accounted for $8.6 million in losses from 9,628 reports, marking a 19% increase from 2024 and making it the most reported scam category involving financial loss.
"Scammers love Black Friday sales too because they know shoppers are looking for bargains," ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.
The warning comes as criminals exploit urgency and pressure during peak shopping periods, with fake websites, advertisements and mobile apps serving as the primary attack vector.
Cybersecurity firm NordVPN detected a 250% increase in fake online shops in the run-up to Black Friday, with eBay imitations surging 525% in October compared to September.
Amazon counterfeits jumped 232% over the same period, while the firm blocked 13.4 million attempts to access fraudulent sites in October alone - 381,000 per day.
"Criminals create convincing fake websites, impersonate trustworthy brands in emails, in searches and on social media," NordVPN cybersecurity expert Adrianus Warmenhoven said.
Social media compromise tactics escalate
Online content channels drove $122 million in losses - 47% of the total - as scammers increasingly hijacked social media accounts to target personal networks on Facebook and Instagram.
The compromise tactic works by impersonating account holders to promote fake ticket sales, fire sales and investment schemes, then requesting one-time codes under false pretences to enable a chain of account takeovers.
"Scammers deliberately target people during these windows, because they know we're more likely to be distracted," Eftsure CTO David Higgins said talking to Cyberdaily.
The Australian Cyber Security Centre recorded 84,700 cybercrime reports in FY 2024-25 - one every six minutes - with small businesses losing an average of $56,600 per incident.
Vulnerable communities bore a disproportionate burden, with reported losses rising 12% among people with disabilities, 35% for English-as-a-second-language speakers and 50% for First Nations Australians.
Investment fraud remains the costliest scam category at $128.4 million in losses, though that figure dropped from $135 million in the prior-year period.
The ACCC urged Australians to verify online contacts through alternative channels, such as phone or text before transferring money, and to report scams even without financial loss to help authorities track criminal networks.
